


If You Would Stay Beside Me

by Bix, starsandauras



Series: For the Dancing and the Dreaming AU [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: F/M, Idiots in Love, Twelve Bless Edmont de Fortemps, Wedding Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-29
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-07 21:33:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,426
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21224546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bix/pseuds/Bix, https://archiveofourown.org/users/starsandauras/pseuds/starsandauras
Summary: Iolaire has a question for Brigid, and he's been overthinking it a bit too much...(Part of "For the Dancing and the Dreaming (AU)".)





	1. I Would Bring You Rings of Gold (Silver)

Iolaire took a breath, staring at the door to Brigid’s room at the manor. He lifted his hand to knock, then lowered it again. They hadn’t been back long and she was probably still thawing out from being out in the cold. He paced away, dragging his fingers through his hair with a quiet grumble.

It shouldn’t be this hard, not compared to facing down primals.

Then again, facing down a primal probably had been easier than getting Brigid to catch on that he was _ courting _ her. Let alone the inevitable conclusion of courtship, which was what the small box in his pocket was entirely intended for. He’d seen her cooing over the ring at the market each time they’d been down the lane and while it wasn’t necessarily the proper traditional sort of work for an engagement ring it had been the one to catch her eye the most.

He turned, stepping back to her door and lifting his hand to knock… and then dropped it to his side again.

He shouldn’t bother her, not with everything else going on already.

Besides, what if she didn’t want to marry to begin with? Was he seeing more to the feelings between them than there was?

He backed away again, shaking his head and actually turning the corner towards the sitting room and nearly running face first in to Edmont.

“Sorry, just… not looking.” he sighed, grimacing at the older Elezen who just smiled.

“You’ve been out here every evening for the past week, Iolaire.” Edmont chuckled, “It’s about as obvious as the sun in the sky as to what you’re looking at and thinking about.”

“...except to her.” Iolaire sighed, shoulders falling. “It took _ Estinien _ saying something for her to realize I was courting her. It might take Hydaelyn herself telling Brigid I’m serious about marrying her for it to get across.”

Edmont had forgotten, somehow, just how young Iolaire had been the first time he’d married and just how long it had been since then. He gestured for the younger man to follow, leading the way towards one of the more comfortable sitting rooms.

“Still haven’t asked her, have you?” Artoriel half smiled, lifting a hand in greeting from where he sat with a book and Iolaire just groaned as he took the nearby couch.

“It’s a difficult thing, asking a hand in marriage when it hasn’t been arranged between those involved before hand.” Edmont took down a pair of glasses, Artoriel was old enough to weigh in on the conversation after all and it would likely be a good lesson in what was sure to be an interesting process for himself in time.

“Especially when establishing that we were courting took…. Intervention.” Iolaire sighed, accepting his glass. “I want to do this properly, or at least as properly as I can.”

That got a nod from Artoriel as he set aside his book as Edmont spoke. “I admit it’s strange, seeing you nervous.”

“...what if she laughs?” Iolaire replied, eyebrows coming together in worry. “Or...or brushes it off thinking I’m not serious? I don’t want to ruin what already is if she isn’t willing or ready for something even more serious.”

“But it’s so obvious that even _ Emmanellain _ picked up on it.” Artoriel blinked, accepting the second glass from his father with a faint raised eyebrow. Edmont only gestured towards Iolaire with a tilt of his head before glancing at the door.

“It took _ Estinien _ telling her about our courting.” Iolaire pointed out, taking a sip of his drink and sinking back against the couch.

“Have you the ring already?” Artoriel asked, watching his father slip out of the room. Trust his father to actually go say something instead of continuing to let essentially all of Ishgard dance around the subject waiting.


	2. If You Will Promise Me Your Heart

Edmont frowned at Brigid’s door for only a brief moment before knocking politely. “Brigid? Are you thawed out yet?” he asked, waiting for her to open the door.

“Aye, finally. ‘Tis dinner time already?” she asked, opening it and allowing him in.

“Not quite, but there’s something that needs to be discussed.” he smiled, “Nothing dire, despite the knots the poor man’s twisted himself into over it.”

She tilted her head, blinking in mild confusion.

“Iolaire’s been spending the past few evenings standing outside your door with a ring for your hand, terrified of what answer you’d give him.”

Brigid’s hands stopped where she had been braiding her hair and she stared at Edmont. “‘Tis sorry I am, I must have been mishearin’ you. Iolaire’s wantin’ to…”

“Ask for your hand,” Edmont said with a nod, sitting in a nearby chair. He rearranged his hands on his cane as he looked up at Brigid, waiting for her response.

A response which was green eyes gone wide -- in shock? Fright? -- and her slowly dropping into her own chair. “But… why?” Edmont inclined his head, waiting for her to go on. “Why would he be wantin’ to be marryin’ _me_?”

“He does quite love you,” Edmont replied, a wry smile on his lips. “I fail to think of any other reason that would matter more.”

“But I’m nay bein’ anythin’ important! I cannae be addin’ any honor to his house, nay bringin’ any sort of dowry. I’m… I’m just bein’ a whore.”

“Should that matter?” he asked, leaning forward. “You saw a means to provide for your brothers and took it. That’s a fine trait.”

“It’ll be matterin’ to the rest of Ishgard!” Her hands dug into her hair, forgetting completely about her half-done braid. “‘Oh poor Ser Iolaire,’ they’ll be sayin’, ‘Poor dear, this was the best he could do.’ I dinnae want that for him!”

Edmont sighed. “Come here, dear,” he said softly, and smiled when Brigid did, sitting down at his side and resting her head on his knee. She seemed to ignore how doing so would crush the wool and flannel of her dress. He started to stroke her hair, smiling down at her. “Ignore Ishgard for the moment. Do you want to marry him?”

“But why would he--”

“That doesn’t matter,” he interrupted. “He wants to. Do you?”

There was a long pause, and Edmont’s heart started to sink, that perhaps Iolaire’s fears were real. “I dinnae,” she finally said. “I was wantin’ to marry, as a wee lass. But I dinnae think ‘twas ever goin’ to be happenin’ once I was startin’ the work. Then bein’ a Warrior of Light was just makin’ it seem less likely.” The sadness in her voice pulled at Edmont’s heart, and he continued to pet her head. “He’s really wantin’ to?” she asked, finally looking up at him, eyes wide still, but hopeful this time.

So he smiled at her, as a father would his daughter (and she all but was, in his eyes). “He even has a ring. He very much wants to.”

She took a deep breath, steeling herself for something. “Where’s he bein’?”

He smiled. “In one of the sitting rooms. Come, we’ll see him together.”

She smiled as well and stood, helping Edmont stand before following him back to where Artoriel and Iolaire sat.


	3. If You Will Marry Me

“Airgaed?” she called, standing at the door with her hands clasped before her, fingers interlaced.

Iolaire’s head turned, surprise on his face even as it melted quickly into affection at the sight of her. “I… did not expect that Edmont would go fetch you, I hope it wasn’t a disturbance.” he smiled, caught between standing to cross to her and lead her to one of the couches and staying where he was.

She made the decision for him, walking slowly over to a nearby chair, nodding a greeting at Artoriel with a bright but somehow still weak smile. “Oh nay, he’s nay ever bein’ a disturbance in his own home.” Her hands went back into her hair, as though she had suddenly remembered she had left it half done… and not realizing she hadn’t brought a tie for it.

He wordlessly pulled the tie from his own, offering it to her as if it was something he’d done dozens of hundreds of times. Artoriel at least managed to contain his eyeroll to a sigh at the sight of it.

“Well, here we are then,” he nodded, long legs crossing neatly. “I was telling Artoriel about the time with the Inspector and the green chicken, he doesn’t believe me about it.”

Brigid laughed as she accepted the tie from him, easily weaving it into her braid to secure it before tying it off. “Oh goodness, I’m still nay sure I’m beleivin’ it and I was bein’ there. Though you’re leavin’ out the part ‘bout it bein’ _giant_ as well.”

“I also left out the part with the undead gentlemen deciding that he was their leader. Some things are simply too ridiculous for anyone who wasn’t there to witness them,” he pointed out, reaching and taking a sip of his drink. “Like that whole run-around with the feast ingredients I heard about.”

Brigid groaned and buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. “‘Twas bein’ a horrible thing, nay wantin’ to ever be doin’ that ‘gain! And nay _anyone_ believin’ me when I’m tellin’ them ‘bout it!” 

Iolaire laughed, “And from what I heard, it was hardly even _good_ cheese,” he grinned, setting his drink aside once more. 

Edmont cleared his throat, amused. “I do believe that Iolaire had something to discuss with Brigid in private? Come Artoriel, we should go see what preparations are being made for dinner,” he said rather pointedly.

“Oh, of course,” the younger of the Fortemps in the room nodded, rising from his seat and offering the two a smile before following his father out.

She watched them leave, tangling her fingers together in her most visible nervous habit before looking over to Iolaire. She forced her shoulders to relax and smiled at him. “Edmont was sayin’ you were wantin’ to ask me somethin’?” she asked, voice only a little tight. 

He nodded, taking a breath and letting out a sigh as nerves twisted in his chest. “I do, and I… have put a great deal of thought into this, quite possibly too much if enough people are to be believed.” he began, scooting forward in his seat to rest his elbows on his knees. “I -- you do not have to agree if it is not something you want. I understand that what I wish to ask you is not necessarily what everyone wants in life, and nothing about my heart toward you will change if that is your choice. You can keep the -- I noticed it was the one you liked, and it’s yours regardless.”

He reached into the inner pocket of his waistcoat, fingers catching the delicate ring that had been all but living there for moons as he stood.

“Forgive me for not having good knees,” he half smiled, nearly as nervous as a spooked chocobo. “But… my heart, would you allow me to also call you my wife?” he asked, hand turning and opening to offer her the ring.

She listened to him, barely holding back any commentary, before she stood, going over to him and closing her hands around the one holding the ring. “‘Tis bein’ traditional,” she started, fond laughter in her throat and eyes sparkling, “for you to be talkin’ me _into_ acceptin’ your proposal, nay talkin’ me out of it.” She squeezed her hands around his reassuringly, signalling that it was not a ‘no.’ “‘Tollin’ me virtues and comparin’ me to somethin’ in nature.” She blushed suddenly, lowering her eyes to their joined hands. “Or… so the books are sayin’, ‘least. If ‘tisnae how ‘tis really goin’, I’m understandin’.”

He laughed, “Do you really want me waxing poetic about what we do behind closed doors with all the ears at this one?” he asked, “I could, if you like. For hours.”

“Well you’re doin’ it so well,” she replied, laughing as well. “If you could be doin’ the thirty words or less summary? One 'tis safe for wanderin’ younglin’ ears to be hearin’, if possible.” Because she knew, oh she knew, that Honoroit got roped into listening as well.

“I’m fair sure there aren’t enough words in Great Library to say it, so instead…” he bent, lips catching hers in a kiss.

She squeaked in surprise before pulling her hands away to wrap them around his neck, holding on tight as she kissed him in return, fingers tangling in his hair. She pulled back once she needed air, pressing her forehead against his. She was smiling brightly, eyes soft and fond. “‘Course I’ll be marryin’ you, me pulse. Why were you ever thinkin’ I’d be sayin’ nay?”

Iolaire raised an eyebrow at that, silver eyes amused. “How long did it take you to realize I was courting you again?” he asked, kissing the tip of her nose. “You should probably wear the ring. At least while I carry you out of here; I think we’ll be skipping dinner.”

Brigid laughed softly, lowering her eyes for a moment. “‘Least I’m knowin’ now?” She nuzzled her nose against his, cuddling close. “I will once you’re slidin’ it on me finger,” she murmured, sliding her left hand down his shoulder and holding it out to him. “We must be doin’ it proper like, so folks willnae be wonderin’ if I’m knowin’ ‘tis goin’ on.”

He grinned, kissing the knuckle of her ring finger before sliding the ring onto it. “Oh, I’m fair certain everyone’s going to know that you know what’s going on, improper as it will be.”

It was an odd weight, heavier than a ring should be, but it sat well on her hand. As though it had been waiting for years for such a thing. She shifted her hand slightly, watching the light play on the silver band and green stone, smiling like a love struck fool at it. Which she was, so it was only right. She looked back up at Iolaire, the same smile turned on him. “Proper or improper, I’m bein’ more than happy to be your wife,” she murmured, leaning up for another kiss.

He lifted her in his arms as he returned her kiss, his own smile a mirror of hers. “Oh, the wife part is going to be very proper. The rest? Likely nearly heretical in how utterly improper it will be,” he replied, carrying her towards the door and out past the small crowd that was trying to hide behind it as it opened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _They're such idiots you guys. Adorable but such idiots._ Thank you for putting up with them.


End file.
